The City’s Gate
For a long time, the forecourt at Meiningen Station has been a space heavily dominated by cars and parking. Our design proposes a completely new structure built from scratch directly over this area. Moving beyond the brief for a simple shelter, we envisioned a true “City Gate.” The new pergola acts as a strong guiding element, marking a clear, welcoming corridor that leads people straight to the station entrance while keeping the historic façade in full, unobstructed view.
To ensure the entire intervention feels cohesive and intentionally put together, our paving proposal deliberately blurs the boundaries between pedestrian zones and vehicular traffic. By unifying these areas chromatically and materially, the once-fragmented forecourt is transformed into a continuous, shared urban landscape.
Above this unified ground, the design of the canopy is driven by the natural geometry of movement. Rather than a static, heavy roof, we created two floating wings, slightly rotated against each other to reveal a zigzagging strip of sky between them. It is a single, sweeping gesture that brings every mode of transport together. Whether you are catching a train, hopping on a bus, grabbing a taxi, or cycling through, your transfer happens smoothly under one roof, keeping distances short and eliminating frustrating detours.
We designed the structure to be visually delicate and sharp-edged. Supported by incredibly slender white steel columns, the new canopy recedes so the heritage building can take center stage. As day turns to night, light glows directly from the ceiling itself, turning the roof into a calm, welcoming lantern that guides travelers and holds the square even in the dark.
Perhaps the most meaningful detail, however, lies right underfoot. We embedded a real steel rail flush into the diagonal of the new paving. It is a direct nod to Meiningen’s living history and the Dampflokwerk, the only facility in continental Europe still building and maintaining steam locomotive boilers. Surrounded by the natural and cast stone of our cohesive paving, along with integrated benches and ornamental grasses, that single line of steel provides a warm accent against the grey, grounding the entire modern plaza in the unique memory of the city.
